Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Rasing the Past ❯ Chapter 5

A/N: God this took a LONG time to get out! Kathrine and I apologize for that because we know we should stay more updated. The some things have just piled up a little, but luckily now there are finally getting sorted out.

Kathrine: I guess this story is starting to get to a close. We should only have 4 more chapters at the MOST. Probably not even that.

JC: Well we're really tired and our eyes are killing us. Doctor told us to stop writing so much, like THAT is gonna happen! We would never give up writing or our wonderful fans. We love yall too much!

Kathrine Now let us quit with the mushy sob stories and go on to the fic!

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, but our evil villains and our sweet little Hedin.

Warning: YAOI!!!!! Ya got that! If ya are too narrow-minded to accept such a well-known concept than what the hell our ya doing here?! People who wish to flame just because they want to get out anger on someone for any reason besides well-placed writing criticism leave! That is unless you like the thought of Kathrine sacrificing you to her deity. *__*

Raising the Past

By Kathrine and JC

Chapter 5

The battle was fierce and the enemy didn't seem to lessen. Touma looked around at the sight of the dead youja lying about on the ground. There was still more coming and he had to back away so as not to be force into close hand combat. He was fully aware of the fact that hand-to-hand was not his best point by far and tried to maintain a distance from which to shoot his arrows.

Ryo swirled on his heels just in time to run one of his blades through another enemy. It felt strangely different from fighting the metal soldiers of the past for these youja had flesh and blood, even if it came it many different colors. But he knew that he couldn't stop or else they would all fall prey to the masses. His sense of fighting was continually renewed as he pressed on into the heat of battle.

The bearer of Suiko was fighting in an untamed rage. His heart ached at the feeling of loss that the Troopers link was suffering. Seiji had been missing from the connection for quite some time and they were still unused to the break, but now his own love was slowly fading from it beneath a pile of rock and debris. How ironic. He sliced through on e enemy before cutting down another in haste. He didn't even stop to see who had attacked him first before running them through and twisting the head of his yari into their organs, if they had any.

" Shin gone off the deep end!" Touma yelled to their leader.

" It's because Shu's link is dying!" Ryo rip his katana out of an enemy's body. " We have to save him!"

" They won't let us get to him!" Touma replied from a small hill he stayed perched on as the opposing soldiers attacked him from all sides.

" We have to try, or Shin'll really go mad!"

" Ryo, use your surekill!" Touma suggested. " Clear me a path!"

" You got it!"

Makuyo watched with interest from the hill outside the battlefield. His army was slowly decreasing, but regenerating at the same time. The more the wretched enemy warriors fought him, the more of his soldiers would come. It had been so easy to trap them, seeing as they were so trustful.

" Everything is going well, My Lord Makuyo," a voice laughed from behind him.

" Yes, Jaimiti it is," he agreed. " I thank you for your sacrifice."

" My pleasure my lord," the figure in a familiar Youjakai Guardian Captain's uniform. " If you hadn't asked me to join Arago's forces all those centuries ago than we would have never had this opportunity. They trusted me too full-heartedly."

" Just the same I thank you," he smiled. Jaimiti smiled back as he bowed. That's when an accumulated amount of burning energy exploded on the battlefield. Makuyo frowned, but knew that things would in deed become fairly interesting. He watched each of his enemies battle, but the one that caught his attention the most was the Trooper no Tenku.

Something about his form and they way he drew his arrows was vaguely familiar. The strangeness of this familiarity sat at the edges of his mind and left him unnerved. It is almost as if he is…Makuyo cut off the trail of thought. No, he would not have come back to haunt me.

" Sir," Jaimiti pulled him from his muses. " We have a problem."

" What is it now?" he asked with annoyance in his tone. He was not in the mood for interruptions.

" I just received word from my brother," he said as he tapped a finger to his temple.

" What did Nio say, has something occurred?" he asked.

" It has to do with Lord Sage," Jaimiti nodded. " Niomoto says he is regressing."

" Then I must leave," he said quickly. He refused to let him go now. He would have to hurry to return to the castle. But first he would end this battle. " Go bring out our guest."

" Yes my lord," he said with a smile on his lips.

*****

" Go away! Get away from me!" another thing crashed onto the floor. " He's dying! I have to save him!"

" Calm down Master Sage," Nio was trying to remain in control. His young lord was having a mental breakdown and he knew it would bring complete chaos. Four strong youja from the guard had been brought in and were holding the blonde down on the bed. Even though he seemed small compared to them, they were having trouble containing him.

" I am not Sage!" the blonde yelled.

/ But you are. /

" No, I am not!" he shook his head. " Get away from me!"

/ You don't know. You are Sage, you have always been Sage. /

" Leave me alone!" he yelled at the voice. " I have to save him. I can't let him die!"

" Who is he talking to?" one of the guards whispered to another.

" Guess our young lord has finally lost his mind," another replied.

" Korin!" Sage yelled. " Go to them! Save them!"

" What is Korin?" a guard asked.

" Nothing that one such as you needs to know about!" Nio snapped. " Now just hold him while I prepared the brew!" He walked quickly to the table and prepared a drink for the blonde is hopes of calming him. The concoction swirled as the steam floated away from it.

" Drink this Master Sage," he coaxed. " It will make you feel better. It will take away the pain again."

" NO!" he shook his head fiercely and fought against his holders. " Never again! I won't touch that again!"

/ That's right. Don't drink it. It'll only hurt you more. /

" Stop!" he growled. " Stay out of my head!" Suddenly a strange green symbol appeared glowing on the blonde's brow and his eyes glazed over. He began to mumbled words that no one in the room could understand. The light from his brow brightened until all were forced to shield their eyes.

The guards backed away from the bed as Sage sat up. He continued to mumbled words to himself and his eyes glowed of a sunlight yellow. He then extended his hand and a green light removed itself from his chest. It floated to his hand and materialized into a green orb.

Nio watched as the orb seemed to absorbed all of the light around the blonde and lock it into its shell. " Go to them," Sage whispered to the crystal. " Bring them back." The orb flickered it brightness as if speaking to the boy before it flashed a bright light and disappeared from the room. Nio could do nothing, but stare in awe just as Sage collapsed back onto the pillows.

*****

Touma raced across the battlefield as Ryo's attack began to lessen. He had to get to Shu or else he would die. The link was fading quickly and he knew he didn't have much time left. He stood next to the area where the tunnel had once been and could find nothing that could help him save his friend.

Without his armor he'll suffocate! His mind yelled and he fell to the ground and began to move the debris out of his way. Large chucks of rocks broke apart as he touched them as crumbled into new positions. At this rate he knew it would take hours to get a good start.

And then he felt it… the link died. Tears welled in his eyes as he heard the cry from Shin as he collapsed to the ground. Ryo had rushed to his side and was battling soldiers to keep both of them alive. Touma pounded the ground as he continued to move the rubble. But it was no use and he knew it. Kongo no Shu was dead.

NO! His mind screamed out at the injustice. You took Seiji away from me, don't do the same to Shin, too! Tears fell from his eyes at the blankness within himself. The link now was missing two parts of itself and it left him feeling empty knowing one was the love of his life and the other his friend since childhood. Please, bring him back, don't let him die.

As if some great power had heard him the ground beneath his shook furiously. Touma jumped back out of shock just as sense of reconnection flooded over him. If was as if entire whole was together again, no longer apart in any way. Seiji? Shu? He thought briefly. That's when the ground broke apart and a green light appeared.

" Oh Gods!" Touma stared in confusion and wonder. The next thing he knew a form broke through the surface of the ground, surrounded by a green aura. But it can't be Seiji, he told himself. The glow faded and there stood another form that made his eyes water.

" Shu!" he yelled as the other boy smiled at him just before he collapsed to the ground.

*****

Hedin sat calmly next to the comatose form of his savior and sighed. There still had been no change in his condition over the days the other warriors had been preparing for battle. " I wish you could give me a sign Lord Yami," he sighed. " Something to tell me your alive."

That when the light in the dark room brightened and Anubis was blanketed in a green glow. Hedin stared for a minute before the glow disappeared and nothing seemed to happen. Then without warning… Anubis took in a deep breath as if without air for hours.

" Oh Kami-sama!" Hedin jumped from his seat next to the bed. Then the orb on the nightstand began to glow a dark gray as if speaking to its master.

" Must go," the Masho whispered in response.

" Nani?" Hedin watched as the orb lifted itself from the small table and floated to the now awakened swordsman. The next thing he knew all light vanished from the room as all the candles extinguished. The room was pitch black with no glimpse of light within it.

" Lord Yami!" the servant yelled. The candles began to glow once more, but Hedin was still shocked to find the bed empty. I have to tell lord Doku! His mind told him. Quickly he left the bedside and rushed out of the room.

*****

Naaza and Kayura stood in the center of the roof of the castle. A book was in the venom masho's hands and Kayura clasped her staff tightly. A light glow was emitting from it as she attempted to strengthen the shield. She had believed that by using the shakujo that its power would withstand the assault from their enemy.

" It's not working Kayura!" Naaza shook his head. " Makuyo's forces haven't weakened."

" Something must have gone wrong," she replied in a weak voice. " The troopers must not have reached the outside of the force field."

" Yes they have, I can feel it," he shook his head. " Something must have happened before they could have attacked." He watched as the black-haired woman began to sway with fatigued. He knew she couldn't hold out much longer.

" You have to stop Kayura," he told her. " The staff is taking to much of your power."

" No," she denied. " If I pull back now then the enemy will overtake us."

That's when the wind began to howl like a wolf around them. Naaza could feel the sense of an old link rekindling and his heart almost cried. The air halted in its movements and he could feel the presence of someone behind him. Turning around slowly his eyes met with the sight he thought was nothing more than a dream.

" Anubis?" he whispered as if too afraid of waking up. The blue-haired warrior stood stiffly on the roof not far from him. Anubis' eyes were glazed over and yet he still turned to look at him.

" What happened? Are you all right?" Naaza's mind was full of questions. Anubis said nothing as he walked towards them. Naaza held his breath waiting for whatever was going to happen to happen. Anubis simply walked passed him and stood in front of Kayura with his eyes still glassy. Then his armor disappeared from his body.

" Yami?" she said with concern.

" All is well," Yami said in return as he opened his hands to her. Suddenly the heat began decrease around them and it was unbearably cold. But just as her breath began to come out as steam, two glowing orbs appeared in Anubis' hands. The Ancient stared at them in confusion, one being the orb of Yami and the other the orb of Korin.

" Nani?" she didn't understand until both began to glow and lifted from his hands. The orbs flew around the head of her staff at an unreadable speed until finally clashing against each other. The force caused Kayura to release the staff, but it remained upright as the orbs' powers blended together.

The light seemed to darken and the darkness brightened as the beams of blended magic shot out into the air. As it touched the top of the barrier it dispersed, spreading itself widely across the area of the castle and beyond, forcing itself through the field.

The soldiers below were dissolved in the light and darkness as it became one and then seemed to reach the horizon of either end of the realm. When the light faded a line around the castle remained as the new energy field was erected. Naaza and Kayura watched in awe as the entire event unfolded. Then as all his power was drained, Anubis collapsed to the ground.

*****

" Oh My Shu!" Shin yelled as he rushed towards his lover. He used his yari to slice through and fight back any enemy that came towards him. Within minutes he was by Shu's side and pulling him to him.

" Stay with him!" Touma yelled. " I have to help Ryo!" He quickly pulled out more arrows and fired them at the oncoming soldiers. Ryo was still holding his own, but more soldiers were coming from the hill and beyond.

" Does he like just pop another up when one dies?!" the fire trooper growled.

" Just keep fighting!" Touma replied. " I'm gonna try my surekill!" Ryo nodded to him and he pulled one of the most energized arrows from his quiver. Holding it steadily he aimed it at the cluster of soldiers coming towards them and began to call for his power.

Just as the arrow reached its maximum capacity, the youja began to back away from him. He raised bow at the masses and prepared to fire, but something happen. A large amount of energy was felt hitting its peak before dispersing across a wide plane. Touma stared up at the sky just as he watched a blend of black and green energy combine before flying over his head.

But one half of the power felt familiar to him. Something about it made his heartbeat race and his hand become sweaty. The energy for his arrow left him and seemed to be absorbed into the power in the sky. That's when it seemed to dive down and sweep across the battlefield.

The screams of the youja faded with the blinding light that consoled his body. He almost thought it was caressing him affectionately. Seiji, his heart recognized the special light as the one of his love. But he's not here, he reminded his body. This is the power of Korin.

The light faded almost immediately and he was left to let his eyes adjust. Why had the light not harmed him? Why had it felt so comforting? But just as these thoughts arrived, something within him died. The link was lost yet again, ripped from his mind and soul. The force was so great that he fell to his knees gasping for air. The helmet of his armor felt heavy and he was forced to remove it.

" Touma!" Ryo yelled to him. He was barely aware that someone was at his side. " What happened?"

" He's gone Ryo," Touma let out a hoarse cry. " He's not there anymore. I can't feel Seiji."

" It's okay man," Ryo touched his back. " We'll find him. We're gonna get him back." Touma finally looked up into his friend's tiger blue eyes and saw the promised that was there. He turned away and gazed at the now flourishing vegetation. The grass and flowers were growing and small trees speckled the land. There was not a youja in sight.

"What happened?" Touma wondered.

" Everything's been healed," Ryo guessed.

" Touma, Ryo!" Shin yelled to them. They turned to see the brunette waving to them. He was sitting in a patch of orange and blue flowers, Shu's head propped up in his lap.

" Shin!" the two rushed over to him, well not actually rushed seeing as Ryo had to help Touma most of the way.

" Touma, are you all right?" Shin asked worriedly.

" I'm fine," Touma ignore the ache in his chest. " How's Shu?"

" He's alive," Shin smiled with tears on his cheeks. " Gods, I felt him die Touma, but now he's alive!"

" We all did," Ryo nodded in understanding.

" But that was Korin's power in that light, that was Seiji," Shin said in a whispered.

" If that was Seiji than that only proves that he's here," Ryo replied.

" Seiji…" a quiet mumble came from the semi-conscious Shu. His eyelids fluttered frantically as he tried to open them.

" Shu?" Shin cleaned the dirt from the azure-haired boy's face.

" Shin?" he whispered as he finally opened his eyes to them. He stared at each of his friends with a look of concern on his face. " But where's Blondie?"

" He's not here," Shin said. " You know that."

" No," Shu shook his head and began to sit up. " I felt him, I was standing at the light and he pulled me back. He told me to come back."

" Nani?" Touma's eyes widened. " You talk to him? What did he say?"

" He told me to come back, that Korin was coming to help us," he answered.

" What happened after that?" Ryo questioned.

" It was like something pushed him away, just forced him back somewhere," Shu placed a hand to his temple in efforts to avoid a headache.

" It's okay love," Shin placed a comforting hand on his cheek. " At least we know he's alive still."

" But…" Shu didn't get to say anything more before a vicious wind swirled around them. The sky darkened as clouds suddenly appeared and a tall figure stood on the hill over a hundred yards away.

" Bravo Warriors!" the figure called over the winds. " You are to be commended for your efforts in this battle, but know that it is soon to be over."

" He's alive!" Ryo was shocked. " Gods, I saw the light energy hit him head on!"

" I am not so easily killed Rekka," Makuyo laughed.

" Great another damn energizer bunny," Touma growled as he preferred to not even look at the man. " He'll just keep coming and coming and coming…"

" But I tire of these games children," the sorcerer sighed. " I wish to end this once and for all."

" What do you want?" Shin asked. " Whatever it is we're not giving it to you!"

" I only suggest a duel of sorts," Makuyo replied. " Myself against one of you in a battle to the death. The victor decides the fate of this war."

Touma turned around quickly and glared at their enemy. Makuyo seemed to stare at him in disbelief. " And what if we refused?" he called. " We're not gonna just battle you and say that's how the war ends. You'd probably pull something on us."

Makuyo seemed to shake off his shock and smiled at them. " Well then your friend will not live long enough to see tonight's sunset," he replied with a shrug.

" Friend?" Shin repeated. " Is he talking about Seiji?"

" I'm not sure," Ryo admitted. It was then that Makuyo seemed to motion to someone on the other side of the mound. A few seconds later a familiar figure appeared pulling another by a chain around its neck.

" Captain Jai?!" the four warriors stared in disbelief.

" I am Jaimiti, I have followed Makuyo for centuries before even the Youjakai existed," the youja stated. " Would you think I would turn my back on one who has granted me so much?"

" You traitor!" Shu growled. " You got all those other youja killed because you turned on them!"

" No, I was never with the to begin with," Jaimiti replied. " I cannot be accounted for them believing I was." He pulled on the chain around him captives neck and he was forced to his knees. Jaimiti grabbed a handful of dingy gray hair and pulled his head backwards so that the Troopers could get full view of him.

" It's Rajura!" Shu stared. He would never forget the eye patch or figure he'd seen in sub armor when the former tyrant Arago had held himself, Shin, and Seiji captive. But the man he saw now looked very little like the enemy he had fought. His purple and blue kimono was shredded on his shoulders, barely covering his upped body. His face was covered with bruises and dirt and his only eye swollen shut as blood seeped form a wound across his brow.

" You bastard! What did you do to him?!" Ryo growled. No matter what type of enemies they had been in the past Ryo knew that Gen Masho had reformed himself. Besides, no one deserved such cruel treatment.

" He interfered with something he was not meant to touch," Makuyo replied with venom on his lips. " His punishment is not as severe as it should have been."

" That's it!" Touma was fed up with everything. This sorcerer had almost killed Shu, beaten Rajura to a pulp, and was probably the reason his Seiji was missing. He wanted to kill this guy in the worst of ways.

" So you stand up against me?" Makuyo seemed unaffected by his outburst. " Fine, it is you I shall battle."

" Nani?" Ryo's eyes widened. " No! I shall fight in his place!" He knew that Touma wasn't very well trained from close combat and that if they did fight Touma would lose if the sorcerer came in too close to fire and arrow.

" NO!" Makuyo's voice echoed loudly over the field. " I shall fight him and no other. That is the rule or else this warrior dies.' He pulled his sword from the sheath at his side at place the sharp end against the masho's throat. He smiled as them as he waited for their answer.

Rajura could barely hear the words spoke between the people around him. The guards had beaten him very thoroughly and he could not see. He could feel the presence of four armors nearby even without the aid of his own. Then he heard a loud yell and more conversation just before cold metal was placed against his skin.

" Choose now warrior!" he heard the sorcerer, Makuyo, demand. The blade was pushed deeper into his flesh and his could feel a cut form as liquid drip down his throat.

Is he threatening them with my death? He wondered. But I am not afraid to die…Yet those boys will not let someone die for them, even myself as former enemy.

" Choose Rowen," he thought he heard Makuyo whisper. " Choose wre0tched archer so that I may rid myself of you permanently."

Rowen? Rajura thought. He had almost forgotten who that was. Then he remembered what Sage had told him only the day before. But he said Rowen was his lover when he left Makuyo…How would he be here is the sorcerer killed him?

Then it clicked that he had also called whomever he was talking to, 'archer.' Yet, this also confused him for a moment. The only archer is…

" I want an answer now Tenku!" Makuyo ordered as the sword was forced deeper into an already bleeding wound.

" All right!" Touma gave in to the shock of his teammates. " I'll fight you, but I choose when and what weapons!"

" By all means," the demon removed the blade and returned it to his sheath.

" We use katana and fight in three days at sunset," Touma declared. " And Rajura is not to be harmed during that time."

" Very well," Makuyo agreed as he waved his hand to Jaimiti. " return him to his cell." The traitor pulled on the chain around the white-haired man's throat and the two disappeared. " No harm shall come to him."

" And none of your other prisoners are to be harmed either," Touma added.

" Believe me, he is the only captive I have left," Makuyo smiled. " But no fighting shall be done and we shall both pull back our troops until our duel. With that I say farewell to you and hope you are ready to meet your fate." Those words spoken, the demon sorcerer faded from the hill and the Troopers could tell he was gone.

Touma sighed in frustration, confusion, and some relief. " How could you be so stupid?!" Ryo shouted at him. " Where was your wisdom?!"

" My wisdom just saved Rajura's life and gave us a way to end this war!" Touma spat back.

" But you know you don't know how to use a katana!" Ryo replied. " How are you going to fight him? And in the dark?!"

" That's why I gave us three days," Touma explained. " Who better to train me than Rekka no Ryo with his Rekka ken?"

" But three days Touma?" Shin put in. " Is that enough time?"

" I know he wouldn't have allowed anymore than that," Touma picked his helmet up off the ground. " I just hope the night battle will be to my advantage."

" But what about what he said about his captives?" Shu didn't want to make things worse, but he knew it had to be brought up. " He said that he didn't have anymore that were alive."

" Then where would Seiji be?" Ryo thought. " We know he's here, but if he's not a prisoner of Makuyo than where is he?"

" Could something have caused Seiji to go willingly?" Shin thought out loud. " What if Makuyo held something over him? Or what if he did something to him?"

" If he hurt Seiji than I'll do more than beat him in this duel," Touma's eyes flared with anger. " I'll use his braid as a gag while I use the rest of him as target practice!"

The others knew that they could say nothing to calm down the archer or to console him. This was pain that they themselves couldn't bare with him. Silence feel over the group as Ryo and Shin helped the unbalanced Shu stand and followed behind Touma back towards the castle. The three only hoped that everything would turn out before more than just the battle was lost.

A/N: How was that? I know it was a kinda long chapter, but we did spend over a week on it.

JC: My poor digits! They are all stiff now.

Kathrine: Before she starts whining about how much her bum hurts we better say goodbye.

Catherine: Hey, and we would like to thank Alevia and Alex for asking us to join her little author's in armor story. You know we love ya girls!

Kathrine: Please review! Flamers welcome! Ja ne!